Everton transfer news: ‘Bid submitted’ and ‘advanced talks’ held to sign Chelsea, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest-linked attacker

Everton have reportedly stepped up their interest in highly-rated Lyon attacker Malick Fofana.

The 20-year-old Belgium international only joined Lyon in January 2024 from Gent for an initial €17m (£14.9m) and he quickly established himself as a first-team regular under head coach Paulo Fonseca.

Fofana primarily operated as a left-winger for Lyon last season and contributed with 11 goals and six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions, netting six goals in 10 Europa League outings en route to the quarter-finals.

Although Fofana still has three years remaining on his contract at Lyon, speculation over his long-term future at the French club is rife ahead of the news season.

Earlier this summer, Fofana was valued around the €50m (£43.7m) mark and was touted as one player who Lyon could sell following their relegation from Ligue 1 for financial mismanagement - a decision which has since been overturned after a successful appeal.

Fofana remains on the radar of several top European clubs including Premier League champions Liverpool and Chelsea, with the former understood to have held talks with the player’s representatives.

Everton ‘submit official offer’ for in-demand Fofana

Bayern Munich have allegedly identified Fofana as a potential ‘plan B’ to top target Luis Diaz, while journalist Fabrizio Romano stated at the beginning of this month that Nottingham Forest had agreed a deal with Lyon to sign the winger.

However, no agreement is yet to be reached on the player’s side to move to the City Ground, and although it has been suggested that Fofana is ‘waiting’ for a Champions League club to make an offer, a summer switch to Everton has now emerged as a viable option.

According to Romano, the Toffees have entered advanced talks with Lyon to sign Fofana and have submitted an official bid.

Everton are also said to be in contact with the player’s camp, with discussions on personal terms underway.

It remains to be seen whether Fofana would be interested in a move to Everton this summer, but striking an agreement with Lyon could see the versatile winger become David Moyes’s most expensive signing as manager across two spells at the club, surpassing the £27m forked out to sign striker Thierno Barry from Villarreal earlier this summer.

Moyes has also signed midfielder Carlos Alcaraz and goalkeeper Mark Travers so far this summer, while the Toffees have allegedly reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign left-sided teenage starlet Adam Aznou.